Effect of spectral resolution on the measurement of monoaromatic hydrocarbons by DOAS

Abstract The excellent response characteristics and detection sensitivity with much lower operational cost and the capability to discriminate between the isomer of some monoaromatic hydrocarbons (MAHCs) make differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) a powerful tool to trace concentration variation of MAHCs. But due to the similarity in chemical structure, those MAHCs have the similar overlapped characteristic absorption structures, which make the selection of instrumental parameter critical to the accurate detection of MAHCs. Firstly, the spectral resolution used in DOAS system determines the nonlinear absorption of O 2 and the mass dependence of characteristic absorption structure; thereby it determines the effect of elimination error of O 2 absorption in the atmospheric spectra for the detection of MAHCs. Secondly, spectral resolution determines the differential absorption characteristics of twelve MAHCs representing major constituents in technical solvents used in the automobile industry and the interference of spectral overlapping. Thirdly, the spectral resolution determines the sensitivity, time resolution and linear range. So the spectral resolution range with the best ratio of signal to noise is used to determine the most suitable spectral resolution range, as well as the spectral resolution range that ensure the characteristic absorption structure of MAHCs and the minimization of O 2 absorption interference. Finally, 0.15–0.16 nm (FWHM: full width at half maximum) is assumed to be closest to the optimum spectral resolution and it is confirmed by the results of practical measurement of MAHCs by DOAS.